online marketplace
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UK to levy additional tax on big tech companies beginning April 1st
The UK's two percent tax on large, multinational tech companies goes into effect on April 1st. As much as big tech companies in the US may object, this is not an April Fools' Day joke. Unsurprisingly, the US government strongly objects.
Etsy acquires indie-gadget marketplace Grand St.
Gadgets are probably the last thing you'd look for on Etsy's DIY-heavy marketplace, but that could soon change. Today the NY-based company announced that it's acquiring Grand St., an online retailer focused on electronics with a creative, maker bent (think app-enabled piggy banks and Wifi-enabled kids' toys). In the short term, at least, Grand St. will continue to operate as its own marketplace, but it's possible that such hardware could someday have a home on Etsy.
Etsy reworks guidelines: sellers can now hire outside staff and manufacturers
Etsy, the online marketplace for DIYers, just announced several changes to its seller policies, giving store owners significantly more control over how they run their businesses. Going forward, sellers will be able to hire as many employees as necessary, as well as use outside companies to deliver their products and outsource manufacturing to third parties (provided they receive Etsy's approval). Most notably, these changes allow for a wider definition of "handmade" -- now, the idea for an item simply must originate with the seller. This means 3D-printed items can carry the prized handmade distinction, for instance. And this change isn't just about semantics; previously, Etsy customers could assume items that didn't look handmade were breaking the site's rules and consequently steer clear.
Wii Warm Up: Let's talk Wii Ware
We'll come right out and say it: we love the Virtual Console, but Nintendo has lagged behind a little when it comes to the next-gen online marketplace. Don't mistake us -- we love the chance to replay classic games, because we love classic games, but some of the features found, say, on XBLA, would make nice additions. We've also been waiting for original content ... and when it comes to that, it certainly appears that Nintendo is about to deliver. Fifteen bucks seems pretty reasonable for a full-fledged Square Enix title (we just hope it's more than five minutes long), and then we've got karaoke and Bomberman to look forward to. But what's best is the idea of a Dr. Mario with online multiplayer. Now we're starting to feel like we are about to get a full-fledged online marketplace of our own, and we like it. With all of this, plus Iwata's statement about the sheer volume of titles proposed for Wii Ware, we're pretty deeply enthused. You?
